Oh boy, talk about an explosive assessment. While most estimates have put sales figures for Microsoft’s first tablet at in and around 1 million units, the fact that Redmond is yet to provide any sales figures is infusing confusion on the success of the device.

A lot of people were expecting Microsoft to sprinkle some statistics in its recent quarterly conference call, but when a company that lives by numbers is keeping this quiet, it does raise a few eyebrows.

Barron’s recently estimated that the company had managed to move 1 million Sales RT units in the first quarter on the market. Citigroup analyst Walter Pritchard isn’t too far off in thinking that Microsoft has sold somewhere between 700,000 and 800,000 Surface RT tablets last quarter.

But Goldman Sachs analyst Heather Bellini believes the company’s first tablet is a complete failure, while estimating that Microsoft has only sold around 230,000 slates so far.

Surface RT was released last year in October. And though the tablet suffered from limited distribution initially, Microsoft has gradually several new places for people to purchase the tablet.

The next few weeks will also see the tablet hit 13 new European markets.

Sure these are only estimates, and only Redmond knows the real numbers. But obviously the fall from a couple of million units down to a figure this small is as alarming as it is frightening.

What are your thoughts on the matter? If Bellini’s numbers are closer to reality, where would that put the future of the RT version of Surface?

Looks like Microsoft is aiming big! The company is said to be working on Windows Lite, an...

Marketing and Distribution. I have difficulty understanding why initial sales were exclusive at Microsoft stores only. I am certain exposure and sales would be much greater if sold in stores such as Best Buy, Office Depot, Staples, etc. I purchased my Surface RT on line from MS because the nearest Microsoft store was almost 100 miles away. I do have the above named retailers less than 5 miles away. I have an iPad and Surface RT and I prefer the RT over the iPad.

Fahad Ali

Hear, hear!

When you have around 30 odd Microsoft Stores in a country of more than 300 million, well what more can you expect. I know they are opening a few more Microsoft Stores, but the best part is that the slate is set to be available at more locations.

Pieter

My thoughts on this matter are that it’s totally useless to post rumours like these…

Misterbear Fapp

Had I known IE10’s security constrains on the Surface RT would so radically hamper useability, I never would have bought one as a gift. Shame on MS for doing that, and double shame on them for locking up the OS so that Firefox will likely not happen. The experience has soured me on purchasing a Pro, and I won’t recommend either product. Someone should get kicked in the Ballmers.

WillyThePooh

Both Surface RT and iPad don’t support flash. No one seems to have trouble with iPad. Same with the Chrome and Firefox running in iPad as they are using Safari underneath. So RT is not any worse than other tablets.

WillyThePooh

Same price as iPad and have only 5% of the total apps. I was not convinced to buy the RT even if it has more availability.

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